Kia · Soul · 2011
2011 Kia Soul
3
Recalls
193
Complaints
4/5
Safety Rating
The 2011 Kia Soul has 3 recalls and 193 owner-reported complaints on file with NHTSA. Overall safety rating: 4 out of 5 stars. Most reported issue: service brakes, hydraulic (27 reports).
Source: NHTSA Public Records · Updated Apr 28, 2026
Research Context
The 2011 Kia Soul page works best as a research starting point. Complaint totals show how much owner-reported activity exists, while recalls and investigations help show whether any of that activity turned into formal safety action.
Because this is a newer-era vehicle page, it usually helps to compare this year against nearby model years before deciding whether a complaint pattern looks isolated or persistent. On this page, the most prominent complaint area is service brakes, hydraulic with 27 reported complaints.
Best Research Moves
- Use the complaint log to understand what owners were actually reporting instead of relying only on the raw complaint total.
- Review the recall section even if the total is smaller, because a limited number of recalls can still point to meaningful safety actions.
- This page is primarily a complaints-and-recalls research surface, so compare nearby model years before treating the complaint total as a standalone verdict.
Key Takeaways
- The 2011 Kia Soul currently shows 3 NHTSA recalls listed on this page and 193 owner-reported complaints.
- This page currently shows no linked NHTSA investigations.
- This page reflects complaint volume, recall history, and NHTSA test data, but it does not diagnose causes or rank reliability by itself.
- Safety data currently shows 4/5 overall NHTSA safety rating.
- The most frequently reported complaint categories on this page are service brakes, hydraulic (27), electrical system (17), air bags (14).
- Vehicle
- 2011 Kia Soul
- Recalls
- 3
- Complaints
- 193
- Safety Rating
- 4/5
How to Interpret This Page
This page combines three types of NHTSA data: recall campaigns (official manufacturer or government actions), owner complaints (unverified consumer reports), and crash test ratings (where available). A vehicle with many complaints is not necessarily less reliable — complaint volume correlates with sales volume and vehicle age. Recalls indicate identified defects, not overall quality. To compare this model year with others, use the year navigation in the sidebar or return to the model overview page.
If you are researching a used vehicle, start with the complaint categories, compare them against the recall list, and then check nearby model years to see whether the same issue profile repeats. That usually produces a better buying or research signal than treating the raw complaint total as a standalone safety ranking.
NHTSA Crash Test Performance
Frontal Crash Test
Side Crash Test
Overall Frontal Rating
Driver and Passenger Assessment
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Overall Side Rating
Side Barrier and Side Pole Tests
Driver Side
Passenger Side
Rollover Resistance
15.1% rollover risk in single-vehicle crash
Safety Features
ESC: StandardForward Collision Warning: NoLane Departure Warning: No
Recall Notices
NHTSANHTSA ID: 23V652000September 25, 2023
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC:ANTILOCK/TRACTION CONTROL/ELECTRONIC LIMITED SLIP:CONTROL UNIT/MODULE
Kia America, Inc. (Kia) is recalling certain 2010-2019 Borrego, 2014-2016 Cadenza, 2010-2013 Forte, Forte Koup, Sportage, 2015-2018 K900, 2011-2015 Optima, 2011-2013 Optima Hybrid, Soul, 2012-2017 Rio, 2011-2014 Sorento, and 2010-2011 Rondo vehicles. The Hydraulic Electronic Control Unit (HECU) may experience an electrical short, which can result in an engine compartment fire while parked or driving.
Remedy Status
Owners are advised to park outside and away from structures until the recall repair is complete. Dealers will replace the HECU fuse, free of charge. Interim notification letters, notifying owners of the safety risk, were mailed November 14, 2023. Owner notification letters were mailed March 29, 2024 through June 18, 2024. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC284.
NHTSA ID: 14V822000December 29, 2014
STRUCTURE:BODY:ROOF AND PILLARS
Kia Motors America (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2010-2013 Kia Soul vehicles manufactured January 8, 2009, to October 2, 2013, equipped with a sun roof. A headliner plate may detach during deployment of the curtain air bag.
Remedy Status
Kia will notify owners, and dealers will install industrial adhesive strips to secure the headliner plates, free of charge. The recall is expected to begin February 2, 2015. Owners may contact Kia customer service at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's number for this recall is SC112.
NHTSA ID: 13V114000April 01, 2013
EXTERIOR LIGHTING:BRAKE LIGHTS:SWITCH
Kia Motors Corporation (Kia) is recalling certain model year 2007-2010 Rondo, model year 2007-2011 Sedona, Sorento and Sportage, model year 2010-2011 Soul, model year 2008-2011 Optima, model year 2010 Forte, model year 2007-2009 Amanti, and model year 2009 Borrego vehicles. Originally, in April 2013, Kia recalled 623,658 model year 2007-2010 Rondo and Sportage, model year 2007-2011 Sorento, model year 2007 Sedona, model year 2010-2011 Soul, and model year 2011 Optima vehicles. In September 2013, Kia informed the agency that it was adding an additional 356,719 vehicles to this campaign. The total number of vehicles being recalled is now 980,377. In the affected vehicles, the stop lamp switch may malfunction. A malfunctioning stop lamp switch may cause the brake lights to not illuminate when the brake pedal is depressed or may cause an inability to deactivate the cruise control by depressing the brake pedal. Additionally, a malfunctioning stop lamp switch may also result in intermittent operation of the push-button start feature, affect the operation of the brake-transmission shift interlock feature preventing the shifter from being moved out of the PARK position and cause the Electronic Stability Control (ESC) malfunction light to illuminate.
Remedy Status
Kia will send an interim notification to owners in May 2013. When parts are available, owners will receive a second notification and dealers will replace the stop lamp switch, free of charge. Owners may contact Kia at 1-800-333-4542. Kia's recall campaign number is SC098.
Owner Complaints
193 totalSERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC,ELECTRICAL SYSTEM
Mar 4, 2026
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact stated that while her husband was at a stop sign, the vehicle suddenly shut off. The vehicle was successfully jump-started; however, after driving approximately one mile, the vehicle began jerking and lost power again and was pushed t...
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SERVICE BRAKES,FIRERELATED
FIRENov 27, 2024
The contact owned a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact stated that the vehicle was parked overnight on his driveway, caught on fire, and exploded in the early morning. The fire started from the engine bay. The vehicle was unoccupied during the fire. The fire originated from the front eng...
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VEHICLE SPEED CONTROL,UNKNOWN OR OTHER,FUEL/PROPULSION SYSTEM
Oct 7, 2024
While driving my car just started accelerating in traffic and I couldn’t get it to stop even while hitting brakes trying not to hit another vehicle. Fortunately found a way to pull to side of road and throw in park and it was still revving up and didn’t stop til I turned off car ...
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ENGINE
Sep 10, 2024
Engine is going excessive through oil .
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Jul 5, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time ...
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SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
Jun 20, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic); however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time ...
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ENGINE
Jun 9, 2024
Failure to fix the engine repair causing fires
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
May 14, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The local dealer was not contacted. The contact stated that the manufacturer had ex...
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SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
May 7, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. An unknown dealer was made aware of the issue and confirmed that parts were not yet...
Preview excerpt
SERVICE BRAKES, HYDRAULIC
May 6, 2024
The contact owns a 2011 Kia Soul. The contact received notification of NHTSA Campaign Number: 23V652000 (Service Brakes, Hydraulic) however, the part to do the recall repair was not yet available. The contact stated that the manufacturer had exceeded a reasonable amount of time f...
Preview excerpt
Showing 10 recent complaints from 193 total
View Full Complaint LogCompare Related Vehicles
Why Compare These Pages
The strongest comparison flow is usually: exact vehicle-year page, then nearby years of the same model, then other 2011 Kia models. That sequence helps separate one-off year spikes from broader make-wide patterns.
More Kia Soul Years
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2011 Kia SorentoAnother 2011 Kia option for same-year comparison.8r1,515c2011 Kia OptimaAnother 2011 Kia option for same-year comparison.5r587c2011 Kia SportageAnother 2011 Kia option for same-year comparison.6r179c2011 Kia ForteAnother 2011 Kia option for same-year comparison.3r160c2011 Kia SedonaAnother 2011 Kia option for same-year comparison.6r62c2011 Kia RioAnother 2011 Kia option for same-year comparison.24c
Frequently Asked Questions
How many recalls does the 2011 Kia Soul have?
The 2011 Kia Soul has 3 recalls recorded by NHTSA.
How many complaints have been filed for the 2011 Kia Soul?
NHTSA has received 193 owner-reported complaints for the 2011 Kia Soul.
What is the NHTSA safety rating for the 2011 Kia Soul?
The 2011 Kia Soul received an overall safety rating of 4 out of 5 stars from NHTSA.
What are the most common problems with the 2011 Kia Soul?
The most commonly reported complaint categories for the 2011 Kia Soul are service brakes, hydraulic (27 reports), electrical system (17 reports), air bags (14 reports).
Does the 2011 Kia Soul have any recalls?
Yes. NHTSA has 3 recalls on record for the 2011 Kia Soul. Scroll up to review the published recall summaries, consequences, and remedies. To check for unrepaired recalls on your specific vehicle, use your VIN at nhtsa.gov/recalls.
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This page summarizes publicly available data from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Complaint counts reflect reports submitted to NHTSA by vehicle owners and do not by themselves prove defect severity or vehicle safety. Safety ratings may not be available for all vehicle-years. This site is not affiliated with NHTSA or any vehicle manufacturer. For official information, visit the official NHTSA page for this vehicle.